Familial defective apolipoprotein-B is rare in hypercholesterolaemic South African Afrikaners, coloureds and Indians.

The frequency of familial defective apolipoprotein B-100 (FDB) was assessed among hypercholesterolaemic Afrikaners, coloureds and Indians. Patients selected for screening did not carry any of the founder or common LDL-receptor mutations known to be associated with these groups. No FDB was detected and the mutation is therefore a rare cause of hypercholesterolaemia in these South African populations.